22
Introduction
salt, they are present in only small amounts although the total
quantity throughout the entire global ocean may be phenomenal.
Some marine animals manage
to concentrate these ‘lean ores’ but
such living mineral—storehouses cannot hope to compete with the
growing abundance of minerais found on the deep ocean oor. The
deep ocean deposits are accumulating faster than industry could use
them. Against this attraction of a renewable resource stands the very
considerable cost of retrieving and processing such a complex
mixture of minerals; off—shore oil, natural gas and gravel show much
better immediate prospects (Ch. 4).
Continual movement is an essential characteristic of the oceans;
the surface is whipped into waves, tides wash the shore and, on a
larger scale, currents move across wide expanses of ocean. Outside
purely scientic interest this dynamic aspect of the oceans has serious
practical implications; oceanic circulation inuences the weather;
the distribution of waters rich in nutrients plays a vital role in the
sheries; using the sea as a repository for rubbish as varied as
sewage, old cars and radio—active waste has drawbacks if the sea
simple carries the unwanted material to another country’s beaches;
and nally, suitably harnessed, tidal power is a real possibility—a
tidal power station already straddles one estuary. At least two dozen
areas in the world have the necessary tidal range, but only three or
four have been seriously considered (Ch. 5).
One consequence of activities such as marine mining and farming
will be that men will venture more often into the alien world beneath
the surface of the sea. Sometimes they will shelter within the
protective shell of a submarine, but often they will dive, breathing
special mixtures of gases. Inevitably this frequent contact with the
sea will lead to the kind of intimacy and condence which could
induce some people to consider living underwater. Certainly, sound
commercial and military reasons exist for prolonged stays in the sea.
At the same time the development of robot machinery, particularly
suitable for the deep ocean, suggests that the man—versus—the—
machine battle currently being waged on land will also spread to the
sea (Ch. 6).
The man/machine competition is not the only kind of conict
which the oceans might witness in the future. If any large—scale
international hostilities occur, the oceans are likely to gure promin—
ently as battleelds. The physical properties of sea—water present
obstacles to detection of enemy submarines and a vessel intent upon
Introduction
salt, they are present in only small amounts although the total
quantity throughout the entire global ocean may be phenomenal.
Some marine animals manage
to concentrate these ‘lean ores’ but
such living mineral—storehouses cannot hope to compete with the
growing abundance of minerais found on the deep ocean oor. The
deep ocean deposits are accumulating faster than industry could use
them. Against this attraction of a renewable resource stands the very
considerable cost of retrieving and processing such a complex
mixture of minerals; off—shore oil, natural gas and gravel show much
better immediate prospects (Ch. 4).
Continual movement is an essential characteristic of the oceans;
the surface is whipped into waves, tides wash the shore and, on a
larger scale, currents move across wide expanses of ocean. Outside
purely scientic interest this dynamic aspect of the oceans has serious
practical implications; oceanic circulation inuences the weather;
the distribution of waters rich in nutrients plays a vital role in the
sheries; using the sea as a repository for rubbish as varied as
sewage, old cars and radio—active waste has drawbacks if the sea
simple carries the unwanted material to another country’s beaches;
and nally, suitably harnessed, tidal power is a real possibility—a
tidal power station already straddles one estuary. At least two dozen
areas in the world have the necessary tidal range, but only three or
four have been seriously considered (Ch. 5).
One consequence of activities such as marine mining and farming
will be that men will venture more often into the alien world beneath
the surface of the sea. Sometimes they will shelter within the
protective shell of a submarine, but often they will dive, breathing
special mixtures of gases. Inevitably this frequent contact with the
sea will lead to the kind of intimacy and condence which could
induce some people to consider living underwater. Certainly, sound
commercial and military reasons exist for prolonged stays in the sea.
At the same time the development of robot machinery, particularly
suitable for the deep ocean, suggests that the man—versus—the—
machine battle currently being waged on land will also spread to the
sea (Ch. 6).
The man/machine competition is not the only kind of conict
which the oceans might witness in the future. If any large—scale
international hostilities occur, the oceans are likely to gure promin—
ently as battleelds. The physical properties of sea—water present
obstacles to detection of enemy submarines and a vessel intent upon